Petrol price surges to another new record high of 185.4p amid calls for urgent review

Average diesel price also hits unprecedented high of 191.2p despite chancellor’s tax cut

Petrol prices have reached another new record high of 185.4p at UK forecourts (Joe Giddens/PA)

Petrol prices have reached yet another a new record high of 185.4p at UK forecourts.

The average cost of a litre of petrol was 185.4p on Monday, according to data firm Experian.

This is slightly up from 185.04p a day earlier and an increase of 6.9p in just a week.

The average price of diesel was a record 191.2p per litre.

The RAC has described the “speed and scale” of the recent rises as “staggering”.

Kwasi Kwarteng has ordered an urgent review of fuel station operators as prices continue to rise despite chancellor Rishi Sunak’s 5p per litre tax cut.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on Monday confirmed it would conduct a “short and focused review” of prices at the business secretary’s request.

The latest figures were released just hours after the government scrapped grants for purchases of new electric cars.

Drivers could previously use the Plug-in Car Grant scheme to claim up to £1,500 towards the cost of a plug-in car costing less than £32,000.

The decision to kill off the grant for cars sparked an angry response from the automotive industry, but the Department for Transport said it would “refocus” funding to encourage users of other vehicles to make the switch to electric.

Additional reporting by Press Association